On-campus learning returns for LEAP

Vancouver, BC – As 2021 winds down, so too does the delivery of classes online. With class registration now open, efforts to resume on-campus classes full-time are underway leading up to the start of the Spring 2022 semester. For students learning English, in-person instruction will also return to traditional delivery and snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College’s LEAP instructors are excited to return to the classroom and provide exceptional English language learning experiences – in person.

Starting January 2022, all Langara English for Academic Purposes (LEAP) classes will be held on campus. Learning experiences in the LEAP program prepare students for future academic programs at Langara College or at other institutions where the language of instruction is English.

“The strength of our program is our team of experienced and supportive instructors who teach our in-house curriculum,” says Joyce Forrester, Program Manager of LEAP. “Students develop their English and academic skills step by step through their studies and practice communication not only in the classroom, but on campus and in the community too.”

LEAP students come to study in Vancouver from around the world and benefit immensely from these international connections and the collegial environment. Studying on campus provides students the opportunity to interact with others and to have regular access to campus facilities like the computer labs and library, as well as workshop, events, and a wide variety of student clubs.

“Being on campus was really inspiring for me,” says Sofia Cortez Toschi, LEAP program graduate from Brazil who now studies full-time in the Coordinated Social Service Worker Diploma program at Langara College. “We could see the whole campus, see people moving around, studying, having regular courses. We could see ourselves in the future and think ‘maybe that will be me next year.’” 

In the classroom, LEAP program students can take advantage of small classroom sizes that are friendly and supportive. “We got to know each other really well,” remembers Sofia. “We saw each other every day and we could connect with our friends and instructors. The instructors really got to know your strengths and weaknesses and focussed on what you needed to improve.”

Within the LEAP classroom, students develop intercultural competencies that are important for successful studies in the future. “We practice a lot in LEAP, so LEAP gives you the structure and framework you need so you have less struggles in your academic life,” says Sofia. “We also explore research. We would go to the library, we would learn how to research, how to do the references–which is really important in regular studies because if we copy something this is plagiarism, which is not good for you and you don’t want to do this.” All LEAP classes will return to on-campus instruction beginning January 2022 and consist of teacher-led lessons, interactive group work, projects, and other activities specially designed for academic learning.

“Without LEAP I would struggle a lot more. LEAP really gave me the Canadian perspective, what instructors expect from you, and also what you can expect from the course as well,” says Sofia. “The whole effort that you put into LEAP, you are going to see it for the rest of your academic career.”

For questions about the LEAP program or class schedule, please email leap@langara.ca.

Watch the recording of a LEAP information session.

About snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College 
Located in beautiful Vancouver, B.C., Canada, snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 23,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langara’s expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path. Langara is also known as snəw̓eyəɬ leləm 'house of teachings', a name given to it by Musqueam, on whose unceded traditional territory the College is located.

Learn more.

Karen Reid
Communications Officer
kreid@langara.ca 

Joyce Forrester 
Program Manager, LEAP 
leap@langara.ca